Carrie Bodle

Wikipedia Soundscape (2005)

Wiki Soundscape

The program of this wiki sound translation rests on the subdivision of the world map area into 10 degree quadrants which each capture a certain frequency spectrum. Each of the topics covered by Wikipedia in alphabetic order is given a specific overtone signature to their base frequency as a timbre which distinguishes topics from each other. The amplitude of the resulting sound of wiki topic signature and area base frequency is given by the number of activity in regard to one topic by wiki users in that specific area per time unit. What you are listening to with the headphones is the chorus of the wiki soundscape – a sketch of voices produced by different topics with activities from a variety of areas. Different time stamps synchronize this soundcape with topic changes indicated on the wall panel, recorded between 15:14 and 16:03 on April 06, 2005.

Funded by Boston Cyberarts